


Stranded

by stopmysinfulhand



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Crash Landing, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Slow Burn, Unknown Enemy, Vague Descriptions, bed sharing, desert islands, reader has water powers, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-05-03 13:48:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14570346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stopmysinfulhand/pseuds/stopmysinfulhand
Summary: You and Bucky go on a mission that goes the complete opposite of your plans, and now you’re stuck together until you get rescued or figure out a way to get off.





	1. Inconvenience

Admittedly, things could’ve been worse, but you certainly didn’t want to see what that would look like, considering how shitty the matter at hand was. Of course, it didn’t start out bad. Your day had started quite nicely. A workout session alone at the gym had your blood pumping for when Tony called for assembly, you and the rest of your team getting briefed on a mission. Something simple, just a retrieval mission. Some hoity toity left something important in the ocean and it was imperative you got it back, yadda yadda yadda. Honestly, you zoned out after Tony said “Okay team,” so you didn’t catch most of it. Which was unfortunate since you were a part of the two man team going. The most unfortunate was your partner on the mission, a certain ex-Hydra assassin with sickeningly pretty blue eyes who had been nothing but a thorn in your side since your first day at the tower.

Bucky met your eyes across the meeting room, his face neutral as can be, and you furrowed your eyebrows, looking away from him quickly. “Any questions?” Tony asked.

“Uh yeah, I’ve got a few,” you huffed, crossing your arms over your chest. “Why’s it gotta be me and the poster child for stoicism over there?”

“Because,” Tony said, obvious exasperation in his tone, “you’re practically made for the job and you need a pilot.”

“Why can’t I take Nat or something?”

“I’m busy,” Natasha informed you, not even looking up from the file working tirelessly against her nails.

“Sam?” you asked in desperation.

Sam shook his head, a bemused smile on his lips. “No can do, angel fish, I went on the last mission. I deserve a break.”

You groaned, which Tony rightfully took as submission, ending the meeting with a clap of his hands. You sagged dramatically in your chair as the others filed out of the room, Steve stopping next to you with concern evident on his face. “He’s not as bad as you make him out to be, (Y/N). Just give him a chance, okay?” He set his hand on your shoulder and squeezed, the show of support lifting your spirits a little. Still, you couldn’t help the eye roll that followed.

“Yeah yeah,” you conceded. “I’m sure it’ll be a breeze.” **** ****

* * *

_****_************It was, in fact, Not a breeze, and as your helicarrier sped towards the ocean below you, you made a vow to beat up Tony as soon as you and Stoic the Unfriendly got back. Bucky was furiously attempting to keep it under control, or at least pull up, but you had a feeling that wouldn’t work. Whatever was fucking with your ship was doing a damn good job of it, two engines on the left wing completely gone. Like, vanished. Not blown up, nothing had hit your plane, just. Gone. Really weird shit.

“Barnes,” you said hoarsely, fear creeping up in your throat as you watched the water get closer and closer to the front window. “We’ve gotta get out before it hits the water.” His face told you that he really did not want to do that, but then his brow set in a sort of resigned way. A moment of sympathy passed through you, and you set your hand on his shoulder the way Steve had done to you earlier, hoping it would give him some courage. It seemed to have the desired effect and soon the two of you were bustling about, attempting to salvage things before yeeting the fuck out.

You weren’t really sure how you got out, your adrenaline was pumping through you so fast that everything seemed like a blur. The water was nice though, once you entered it, your powers taking over and allowing you to slip seamlessly through the surface. To think, some people said water powers were useless. Until they saw you draw all the water out of a person, leaving them a shriveled husk of a human. Then they shut up.

Bucky was fast approaching after you, the waves reaching up to get him with your manipulation so he didn’t hit it like asphalt. He bobbed on the surface of the ocean and you joined him, watching as your helicarrier hurtled into the waves. You were unable to keep from wincing.

“Shit,” Bucky muttered. Yeah, your sentiments exactly.

“My sense are dulled here for some reason. I can’t figure out where we are.” Bucky looked at you wide-eyed. Well, his eyes were always wide, but now he looked especially freaked. A rush of emotion filled you and you took his hand. Weird. Must be the near-death experience messing with your head. “It’s okay though,” you soothed, “I think there’s land nearby. I can feel the energy in the water diverting around something.”

“How far?” he asked, his eyes darting around in an attempt to spot it.

You thought for a moment, ducking under the waves to get a better lay of the land, er, water. You surfaced a few minutes later when you felt Bucky nervously grip your hand. “Sorry,” he grumbled, looking a little embarrassed. “Forgot you can breathe under there.”

You laughed, a full hearted laugh, and you found that you couldn’t stop laughing. Bucky joined in as well after a minute and it made you laugh harder, his laughter filling you with joy. You had never heard him laugh before, not like this. The laughter faded after a minute, leaving you both panting slightly as you treaded water.

He spoke first. “We should probably start swimming, huh?” You nodded and began to swim in the direction you sensed the land mass, Bucky close behind. You moved through the water gracefully, but he seemed to be having more difficulty, his movements jerky with a lot of splash.

About four miles out, he had slowed down, his movements more sluggish than before. Even super soldiers had their limits, you supposed. You stopped and waited for him to catch up.

“We’re getting closer,” you said in attempt to cheer him. “Only a couple more miles to go. I think.”

“You think,” he grumbled. “Wonderful.” Then he was off again, more determination in his strokes. You caught up with him and propelled him a little so he wouldn’t tired so fast.

The sun was falling faster than you expected, but you didn’t panic much. You would be fine, your eyes able to adjust to dark much better than Bucky’s, plus you would know if any sea life approached you long before they’d be any trouble. Your main concern was with Glass Eyes swimming next to you, his fatigue evident on his face as he tried to keep up with you. “Barnes, you good?”

He spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m fine.”

“Hm.” You stopped and he stopped as well. “Lay back.”

He furrowed his eyebrows. “What?”

You moved closer to him and gently pressed on his chest. “Just float for a while. I’ve got you.” To prove your point, you lifted your finger, bringing with it a little ball of water that twisted in the air before you let it break into smaller droplets. He was hesitant, staying still, or as still as he could be while treading water. Obviously the trust barrier hadn’t been breached yet. “C’mon Barnes, trust me.”

He watched you for a moment, his unsettling stare making you fidget. Then, finally, he moved backwards, floating on his back. You smiled and started to swim again, manipulating a currant to pull him along beside you. Ducking under the surface of the water, you moved faster, exhileration flowing through you as the water strengthened you. Tony was right. You were made for the job, even if it hadn’t gone according to plan.

The depth was starting shorten, and when you popped your head back up, you could see the shadows of trees growing closer. You stopped for a moment and got rid of the currant pulling Bucky along. “Barnes, we’re almost there. Can you swim by yourself?”

He righted himself and scanned the horizon, nodding without a word. The two of you swam side by side until the water was shallow enough to walk up to shore where you both collapsed. Sudden exhaustion seeped into your bones, and it was obvious that something similar was happening to Bucky.

“We made it,” you breathed, glancing over to him.

“Yep.”

“Now what?”

He shrugged slightly. “Guess we figure it out.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the reader’s powers are a mashup of Mera and Aquaman from the DC universe because he’s my favorite superhero and also kinda Percy Jackson from the PJO books. Hope you like it!


	2. Adaptation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Bucky try to figure out what the hell you’re going to do. Survival is the top priority.

You really did not like sand. It was coarse and rough and irritating, and it got everywhere. Incredibly annoying, sand, and currently you were covered in the stuff, thanks to the loss of consciousness that happened once you had reached the shore. You rolled over and stood up with a groan, your muscles yelling at you as you rolled your shoulders. You looked around and noticed a distinct lack of super soldier. Well, that couldn’t be good. The sand had a little indent in it, roughly Bucky shaped, so that was something. With a little more investigating, you saw foot prints heading towards the tree line. You followed them, sighing in relief as the trees shaded you from the sun, your mortal enemy.

The tracks stopped and so did you, straining your ears to see if you could get a feel of where he was, and quickly found that he was silent as ever. Guess you’d have to do this the hard way. “Barnes,” you called, your hands cupped around your mouth to amplify the sound.

“What?” He was standing right behind you, a bunch of bananas in his hand, and you practically jumped out of your suit, your hand clutched to your chest.

“Jesus Christ!”

“Nope.” He smirked. “Just me.”

You scowled and snatched the bananas out of his hand to spite him. He gave them easily. “I oughta get you a bell,” you hissed. “What are you doing, sneaking around like that?”

“Getting us food,” he said, rolling his eyes in a way that silently said ‘duh’. Asshole. “Didn’t wanna wake you.”

A sigh left you and you looked at your surroundings, eyes drawn to things that could possibly help you. “We should build a shelter or something.”

“Already ahead of you,” he told you with a mouth full of banana. He swallowed and continued, “I was gathering materials when you called.”

“Well aren’t you resourceful,” you said dryly. In actuality, you were thankful for his resourcefulness because it meant you had to do less, but still, didn’t want to fuel his ego. “Show me.”

He nodded and brought you over to a decent pile of palm leaves and branches. He really did have good survival instincts. “Alright Mr. Mcguyver, you find a drinkable water source yet?”

“No, I thought I’d leave that to you. What with your water powers and all.” His tone was as dry as the Sahara. It made you a bit proud.

“Oh,” was all you could think to say. He made a valid point. You gestured for him to get back to work and walked off, trying to feel for a water source nearby. It was difficult, thanks to the proximity of the salt water surrounding the island, but you happened upon a stream that seemed clear enough, and when you stuck your hand in, you could feel it was fresh water. Good, got that squared away. You made a cup with your hands and brought the cool water to your lips, sighing once it had all descended down your throat.

“Oh good, you found one.”

You squawked and almost fell into the water as you whipped around, falling into a fighting stance. “Stop. Doing that!” you yelled. You really, really wanted to punch that satisfied grin off his face, but you knew your strength was miniscule compared to his, that bastard. “When we get outta here, I’m going to buy you a bell, and I’m sure the whole team will be thankful!”

He laughed, a real genuine laugh like his one when you had first landed in the water, and it made your heart beat in a way that was utterly despicable, but it wasn’t your fault he was so pretty when he laughed. Disgusted with yourself, you couldn’t help but wish he would laugh more.

You ran your hand through your hair and grimaced at the feeling. “I hate sand.”

He gestured to his metal arm. “I know what you mean. I’ve got sand in every cranny possible,” he lamented. You nodded emphatically and patted his shoulder.

“I’ll help you clean it,” you offered.

He smiled and your heart fluttered, an utter betrayal. “Thanks,” he said softly. A beat passed and things were suddenly getting much too personal for your liking, so you moved away and started to gather sticks that would be useful for firewood to distract yourself.

You and Bucky returned to your pseudo-camp and started to organize it, getting the shelter built and the fire pit dug. The camp was right on the tree line so you could still see the beach while having the shade of the forest. It’d be a pretty sweet set up if you weren’t stranded there without immediate hope of rescue.

Finally the sand rubbing against your body got to be too much. “I have to change,” you announced.

“Well gee, (L/N), I think you’re great the way you are,” Bucky deadpanned in reply, not even looking up from the stick he was whitling. You didn’t know where he got the knife, but you decided you didn’t care enough to ask.

“My clothes, asshole.”

This time Bucky did look up, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You don’t have a change of clothes.”

You groaned. “Yeah, no shit sherlock. I’m gonna go wash my suit in the creek and leave it to dry.”

“Well, if you wanna parade around here naked, I don’t plan on stopping you.” With a smirk he went back to his whitling, looking far too comfortable for his own good. You growled in frustration and kicked sand onto his lap, stomping off into the forest. Sure, that had probably been immature, but you were too frustrated to care.

When you reached the creek, you pulled off your suit, sighing in relief as the sand crumbled off you. Cool air hit your irritated skin, wrapping you in relief, and you brushed off any excess sand that clung to you. You shook out your suit, rinsed it in the creek, and hung it on a branch nearby. Now all you had to do was wait for it to dry.

Easier said than done. After an hour, boredom started to creep up on you and you wished for a book or something, even Bucky’s company would’ve been better than just sitting on the bank of the creek. A thought sprung into your head of Bucky teasing you over your choice of undergarments, and you decided that it was okay you were alone at the moment.

Two hours later you were prodding your suit to check its dampness factor and trying not to think of how hopeless your situation was, and how the team would probably never find you and it’d just be you and Bucky forever, stuck on an empty island, torturing each other until one of you died, and then it’d just be isolation. Tears pricked at your eyes and you pushed them away. You couldn’t cry, you’d get dehydrated. To distract yourself, you pulled up a little ball of water from the creek and danced it around your fingers, letting yourself focus on expanding and shrinking the ball in time with your breathing. Things would be okay. The Avengers were probably trying to find you right now, and Bucky wasn’t the worst person to be stuck with, you supposed. At least he was hot.

Determining your suit was dry enough to wear, you slid it on and made your way back to camp. Bucky had a fire going and was lounging next to it, still whitling, just shirtless this time. It took a moment for that to process. “Barnes-” you started, but stopped, not knowing how to finish your sentence. His eyes flicked up to you and he arched an eyebrow when his gaze landed on your slowing heating cheeks.

“What, never seen a shirtless man before?” he teased, sitting up with a stretch. His metal arm glinted in the firelight, drawing your eye to it.

“Still need help cleaning it?” you asked, pointing to the limb in question. He shrugged, but still offered you his removed shirt. You sat next to him and began to gently brush away the sediment, pleased when it started to shine under your attention. A comfortable silence settled over the two of you as you worked, only interrupted by the crackling of the fire and the soft sounds of your work.

“There,” you said when you were done. “All better.” You met Bucky’s gaze and smiled.

“You can call me Bucky, you know,” he said suddenly, startling you a little.

“What?”

He hesitated for a moment. “You always call me Barnes,” he explained, “but you could call me Bucky. If you wanted.”

The idea seemed to unsettle him as much as it did you, but you supposed it wouldn’t hurt to be a little more familiar with someone you would most likely be spending a lot of time with. “Do you- Do you want me to call you Bucky?” you asked with a similar amount of hesitance.

“Yes… I think so,” he said, nodding slowly.

“Okay… Bucky.” An awkward silence followed, so awkward it hurt a little. “You can call me (Y/N).”

“(Y/N),” he repeated, the way he said your name causing your heart to flutter a little bit. “Okay.” You lapsed into silence again, one significantly less awkward.

After a while of staring at the fire and listening to the soft ‘shuck’ of Bucky’s whitling, you started to yawn, your eyes drooping slightly. Your silent companion noticed and nudged you before nodding to the shelter. “You can go get some sleep. I’ll keep watch.”

You groaned slightly. “But it’s getting so cold. I’d rather stay by the fire.”

He smiled softly, just a little twitch of his lips that you almost missed, that you would’ve missed if your eyes hadn’t been trained on him intently. “Just go to bed,” he insisted.

“You go to bed.”

He laughed. “You’re a child.”

You stuck your tongue out at him, you arms crossed defiantly over your chest. “And you’re an old man. Isn’t it past your bedtime?”

“I could ask you the same question,” he shot back. You narrowed your eyes at him and humphed in reply, staring at the fire again. “I’ll go to bed if you do,” he said more gently, guilty he’d made you upset.

You turned your stare on him and worried your bottom lip for a moment, trying to work out the logistics. Surely that’d be okay, the island was deserted after all, or it seemed to be. You had been okay last night when you’d both passed out. “Deal,” you agreed after a moment.

He nodded and began to extinguish the flames, nodding again in satisfaction once it was out. You crawled into the shelter and attempted to get comfortable, grunting softly as you wiggled in leaves Bucky had laid on top of the surprisingly soft grass. Bucky joined you after a moment, laying down and getting comfortable in what seemed like an instant. “How’d you do that?” you asked, still wiggling slightly.

“M’ used to it,” he said simply, his eyes shutting. You laid on your side and watched his chest rise and fall steadily, one of his eyes opening again when he felt your stare. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“Go to sleep,” he told you, exasperation evident in his tone. You grumbled and wiggled around some more. His arm shot out and grabbed hold of you, pulling you so you curled against him. “Be still.”

You were still after that, mostly due to shock. He was warm next to you, his metal arm chilly against your back. He was too firm to be comfortable, but after a minute of shifting and wiggling, you settled your head against your shoulder, sighing softly. Bucky already seemed like he was out like a light, completely still except for his chest moving. It was a little unnerving, but you let exhaustion overtake you, nuzzling a little more into Bucky’s side before passing out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *chanting* bed sharing bed sharing bed sharing! anyways I don’t know how often I’ll be updating, but I really like this fic so we’ll see


	3. Infuriation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky’s an asshole, but you get over it. It’s time to figure out how the hell you’re going to get home.

Waking up in a tangle of limbs under the slight protection of a lean-to while rain poured outside wasn’t a way you expected to start the day, but you guessed at this point you shouldn’t even be surprised anymore. Cold vibranium pressed uncomfortably into your back, leaving you feeling stiff as you sat up, untwining yourself from the still sleeping super soldier next to you. How he slept through all the racket going on outside was beyond you, but he was probably just as exhausted as you, if not more if those bags under his eyes were any indication. However, once you left his side, he was quick to wake, his eyes flitting around as a crack of thunder shook your shelter. “Status report?” he asked, his voice still thick with sleep. It was only a little sexy.

You shrugged. “It’s raining.”

His eyes narrowed. “Helpful,” he said, letting you know it was definitely Not helpful. He stretched as best he could in the tight quarters, his shoulders flexing and his flesh bicep bulging, not that you were staring at him, because you definitely were not. You averted your eyes and watched the water continue to come down outside so you didn’t have to see the way he arched his back. You heard his stretch noises though. That was worse somehow, and your cheeks stained with red. Jesus, not even two days stuck with him and you were already going crazy.

“Can’t you just make it pause or whatever with your water powers?” He scooted closer to you and watched the rain as well. You glared at him.

“No,” you replied coldly. Thank god he had said something dumb. You felt considerably less attracted to him now. “Rain is weather, which falls under hyetokinesis. My power is hydrokinesis. They’re different.”

He grunted and leaned a little out of the lean-to to see… well you weren’t really sure. “Seems silly. Not as useful as I thought.”

A jolt of anger ran through you. “I could pull the hydration out of your body through your nose and leave you a dry husk,” you said through gritted teeth.

Another grunt. “Like a raisin?”

You fought the urge to yell in anger. God, he was infuriating! You had started to wonder if maybe you had misjudged him, and maybe if it was time to bury the hatchet after hating him for so long, but he just tossed that idea out for you. You didn’t even have to do it yourself. “I saved you when we fell from the plane!” you couldn’t help but point out, your pride wounded considerably. “You would’ve hit the water like it was pavement if I hadn’t softened it.”

His eyes flicked to you, his stare cold, losing all warmth it had held last night. “Oh, I’m sorry, am I not grateful enough for you? Should I thank you for performing an action anyone would do for a fellow teammate?” You knew he kinda had a point, you just wished he wasn’t such an asshole while he was being right.

“Fuck you, Barnes,” you hissed, unable to think of a better immediate comeback. He turned away from you, his lip curled in disgust.

“Go ahead,” he said, his tone as cold as yours. “Throw a fit, just like always. I don’t know why I bother trying to reason with a child.”

It took all of your effort not to suck the water from him drop by drop, the only thing stopping you was knowing how pissed the team would be if they ever found you. So instead, you turned and crawled out of the shelter, stomping blindly into the forest.

The ground squished under your boots, muddy and soft, sucking you in a little with each step, but you couldn’t find it in yourself to care. The rain continued to pour, coating you in water and stirring up the ground in a further slurry. You didn’t realise where you had been going until you reached the bank of the creek, the water having risen up to the very edge. It was flowing like crazy, but that didn’t stop you from hopping in.

The water was cool and fast, swirling around you in a flurry that matched your fury. You settled on against the creek bed and watched the water run over you, your lungs switching easily to breathe under the pressure of the water. Pebbles pressed up against your back and the current whipped your hair around your face if you tried to sit up, but it was better than being stuck with Mr. Nothing-Is-Good-Enough back at the campsite.

A calm settled over you the longer you laid on the bottom of the creek, the water leeching your anger from you and carrying it far away. The rain stopped, you could tell by the lack of sound of water hitting water, and the current slowed to a light rush rather than the riptide like force it had been running with. You could spend hours laid against the creek bed, watching the sun drift out from behind the now-empty clouds, and maybe you did, because before you knew it, the sun was gone and when you popped your head out of the water, you could see the stars peek at you from the sparse canopy above you. Time to return to Asshole McGee.

Water poured off you in rivulets as you stepped from the creek, seeping into the already soaked ground, leaving you nice and dry. The moon illuminated your path, bright and cool. A rustling in the underbrush made you pause and get into a defensive crouch, only to feel like a fool as a small rabbit hopped out in front of you. “Ohhh,” you said softly, making your crouch less ridiculous. “Sweet rabbit.” The rabbit sniffed towards you curiously and you reached out for it, wishing you had a carrot or something.

You weren’t sure if it was just due to lack of human exposure or your pleasant disposition, but the rabbit hopped towards you and let you pick it up. You had to stop the soft scream of joy that threatened to erupt from you as you continued towards the campsite.

Your steps betrayed you as you approached the lean to. Bucky was outside, whittling again, and didn’t bother to look up until you said, “Look, I found a friend.”

“More like dinner.”

You clutched your new friend closer and sat near him, letting your rabbit explore a little. “You’re heartless, Barnes.”

“No shit,” he said. Good to know he hadn’t let any of it go. You scratched your rabbit behind its ear, watching the way its nose twitched constantly. Always on guard, just like a certain blue-eyed grumpus.

“Maybe I’ll name him Bucky and take him back to the tower when we get picked up instead of you,” you pondered aloud. You could practically feel his fist tighten around his whittling knife, but he remained quiet. “Bet Sam wouldn’t mind. Hell, maybe even Steve could get used to it.” You didn’t know why you were egging him on. Maybe it was payback for earlier. He threw the knife into the sand and glared at you. His silence spoke volumes, but you couldn’t help but continue to goad him, leaning towards him a little. “What’s wrong, Barnes? Can’t take the truth?”

“The truth? Well since we’re being honest,” he said icily, “You’re a raging bitch.”

You laughed, mostly out of shock at hearing him say something so vulgar. Sure, he cursed, almost as much as you did, you just… didn’t expect that. “Jesus, Buck, that’s a little… harsh, don’t you think?”

Your use of his nickname threw him off course enough that he dropped his little block of wood. “I- What? Wait—“

You cut him off with another laugh and waved your hand to get him to shut his mouth. “I’m sorry, you’re right, I am a raging bitch, and I’m glad someone finally said it.”

“(Y/N), you’re giving me whiplash.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

You nudged him gently with your elbow. “It’s payback for earlier. You really pissed me off, y’know?”

His mouth tightened into a thin line. To distract him, you picked up the rabbit and plopped it into his lap, yet another surprise for him. Silence settled over you and you leaned against him to watch him hesitate before he began to stroke the rabbit. For a moment, Bucky seemed as nervous as the small animal, but gradually he relaxed, letting out a sigh. “Sorry. About earlier.”

You shrugged. “Thanks. It was kind of a dick move though.”

He nodded and looked at you, searching your face before he spoke again. “I didn’t mean it, y’know. Your powers aren’t useless. They’re really cool actually,” he admitted. Now it was your turn to be surprised.

“Then why do you always make fun of me?” You had an inkling of an idea, but you wanted to see what he said.

He shrugged. “Dunno.” Hm.

“Hm,” you said.

Bucky remained quiet for a while after that, still stroking the now chilled out rabbit. The moon was out in full force when your stomach rumbled, breaking the silence that had settled over you. “I can go catch something if you want,” you offered.

He nodded and stood, gently setting down the rabbit who hopped away back towards the tree line. “I’ll go see what I can gather nearby.”

Then the two of you broke, you heading for the sea, Bucky heading for the trees. The waves greeted you as you made your way from the shore into their salty embrace, power flooding through you. This was your element after all. You went deep enough that your head was under water and began to hunt, catching 3 fair sized fish before walking proudly back to camp with arms full.

Bucky had already started a fire and you held your hand out for his knife, which he offered readily. You gutted and cleaned the fish with ease, removing bones like it was nothing. Bucky whistled in admiration at your skill. “Do this a lot?” he asked.

You snorted. “I grew up on the gulf coast. My father was a fisherman. I’d say yeah, I’m pretty practiced.” Soon you had the fish ready and set it out on the neat little cooking set up Bucky had arranged. The dude really had a talent when it came to survival situations.

He tossed you a banana, which you caught, peeled, and bit into, humming as you looked towards the shore. “Now that survival tactics aren’t the highest priority, we should probably figure out a way to get rescued,” you said. Bucky nodded in agreement, but didn’t offer any ideas as to how to accomplish that. You both got lost in thought for a while, trying to figure something out, but it’s not like as Avengers they made you take a class on what to do in this kind of situation. You were starkly out of your element.

“We could write ‘help’ in the sand and build a pyre,” you suggested. “Worked well enough for Tom Hanks. I think.” Bucky stared at you blankly. “Though if I’m honest, I’ve never seen Castaway. I don’t know if he actually gets rescued.”

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s a movie.”

He hmphed in reply. “Doesn’t seem like a bad idea though. I mean, the pyre may be a little much, but it wouldn’t hurt to let passing aircraft know we’re here.”

“Great then,” you said as you got to your feet. “Let’s get to it.”

His lips quirked into the beginnings of a smile. “Don’t you think it’d be easier to do that in the morning?”

You blinked. “Oh. Right.” You sat back down, face burning in embarrassment. He passed you the newly cooked fish in, what you guessed was, apology.

“Thanks,” you mumbled. You bit into it and sighed, scooting closer to him and offering him a prepped fish in return so he could cook it.

Soon both of you were full of fish and fruit, and you were rubbing at your eyes as exhaustion seeped into your bones. So much emotional strain on you in one day made you tired. “Do you think we’ll get rescued?” you asked sleepily.

Bucky smiled. “I’m sure they’re searching for us right now.”

“I hope you’re right.” You rested your head on his shoulder, missing the way he stiffened and relaxed again in an instant.

“I’d bet on it,” he said softly, watching the way you settled against him and started to doze off. You couldn’t help it. He was considerably more comfortable sitting up than laying down. Your eyes were fixed on the bright orange of the fire until they closed and you were out, snuggled against the man who had made you so angry that very morning. Life was strange that way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writer’s block is a bitch but I’m doing my best


	4. Evanesce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers catch wind of your disappearance. You and Bucky face your potential enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is short and sad, sorry

“They’ve vanished.”

Tony looked up from the tablet he had been tapping on and narrowed his eyes at Steve. “What do you mean they’ve vanished?”

Cap shrugged and gestured to the screen that had been tracking the movements of the craft carrying (Y/N) and Bucky. “They vanished,” he repeated. “The dot disappeared, Tony. I don’t know how much clearer to make it.”

“They can’t just disappear,” replied Tony, his brow furrowed. He looked over the screen, tapped something else in his tablet, and glared at the screen when the dot remained missing. “I’ll be damned.”

“Well? Where’d they go?” Steve crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to side.

“Looks like they’re completely off the radar.” Tony started to type furiously, focusing completely on his screen. “They disappeared right on- Oh you gotta be shitting me,” he mumbled, typing somehow faster.

Steve stood behind him and peered over his shoulder, his expression the same as Tony’s. “What? What is it?”

“Right on the edge of the Bermuda Triangle.”

“That’s a joke, right?”

“God, I wish it was,” said Tony, pulling up a better map on the screen. Sure enough, the craft had vanished approximately halfway between the coast of Florida and Bermuda.

“But that’s a myth, isn’t it? All that stuff about disappearing aircraft,” Steve said in disbelief, taking a step back to get a better look at the map.

“Yeah, and so is Thor.” Tony Snark rears his head yet again. “While it is true that there have been several lost aircraft and ships in the triangle, that’s usually attributed to the magnetic pull being particularly strong in that area.” He pulled up an article pertaining to the triangle and scanned it for a moment. “That’s all fine and dandy, but it shouldn’t have caused a vanishing act like that.”

Steve set his hands on his hips. “We’ve got to find them. I’ll get Sam and Nat. We’ll do some reconnaissance, see what we can dig up.”

Tony nodded and waved him away, already combing through any information he could find. “Fare thee well,” he said, only a little sarcastically.

* * *

Sam guided the plane smoothly through the air, making small adjustments as needed. “So, we know where they are?” he called back to Steve, who was scanning a map he’d already scanned several times.

“No,” said Steve, a tinge of disappointment in his voice. “I’ve got an idea though.” He pointed to a tiny speck on the map that Natasha had to lean over to see.

“That little thing? Is that even inhabited?” she asked. “It’s barely documented.”

“It’s as good of a lead as we’ve got. It’s close enough to the crash site that they could swim there within a day. Let’s just hope (Y/N) was knowledgeable enough to get there,” said Steve. His jaw clenched slightly as he thought of his teammates, his friends, possibly lost at sea. It crushed him to even think of losing Bucky again. Natasha set her hand on Steve’s shoulder and gave him a tight-lipped smile in an attempt to comfort him.

“I’m sure they’re fine, Cap,” Sam called once more from the pilot’s seat. “Angel fish’s got more than one trick up her sleeve.”

* * *

You were quickly running out of tricks, and breath, as you and Bucky sprinted across the sand, trailed by a solid wall of black you couldn’t even think of how to describe. You didn’t think it was organic, because no matter how many times you attempted to pull the water from it, you came up without a drop. It’s not like Bucky could shoot it, all your weapons were lost to the sea, which coincidentally also seemed to be revolting against you, the water turned black with an iridescent sheen, like an oil spill. “What do we do?” you yelled to the super soldier easily keeping pace next to you.

“Keep running,” he yelled back. “Head for the trees.” Not much of a talker, Bucky, but you guess you couldn’t fault him for that at the moment. You two turned in sync, heading for the treeline. You bust through it and had to bob and weave, your path now filled with obstacles. Your path grew ever closer to the creek, which you noticed remained pure. Perfect.

“Creek!” you called to him. Bucky gave you a short nodded, getting your meaning in an instant. At the very least, being stranded together served as a good bonding exercise. The two of you slid into the creek and you formed a shield of water around you, watching the black mass approach you. “Any ideas?” you asked, panting softly.

Bucky’s jaw set as he peered at the mass. “Shoot a water ball at it, see what happens,” he suggested.

“That’s all you got?”

He raised his eyebrows at you. “We’re about to get run over, and you think right now is the time to sass me?”

“Right. Sorry.” You clenched your jaw as well and did as you were told, upholding your water barrier with one hand and launching a ball of water at it with the other. The water hit it hard and seemed to cause a piece of it to dissipate. “Weird,” you mumbled before dropping the shield to barrage it with your full force. Bucky got into a fighting stance beside you. Oh super, he was ready to punch it if necessary.

Each ball that hit the mass caused some of it to disintegrate, giving you a glimpse of whatever was driving it, some sort of semi-humanoid figure. You stopped your barrage and let the mass close in on you. Bucky looked at you like you were crazy; until you pulled up most of the creek and crashed it over the mass, wiping it out almost entirely.

The water slid back into the creek, leaving nothing in its wake, minus the slick sheen of oil. Water couldn’t completely dissipate that. The thing that seemed to have been driving it had vanished, leaving only a thin wisp of black behind. Then that was gone too, and it was like nothing happened.

“What the hell,” Bucky breathed.

“My sentiments exactly,” you agreed. The two of you looked at each other. “What now?”

“Guess we better investigate,” he grunted, stepping onto the bank. There was a flash and something black curled around his ankle, catching him off guard. He hit the ground with a groan and then he was being dragged away from you.

“Barnes!” you screamed, rushing out of the creek. You felt something curl around your ankle, but you were prepared, hitting it with a ball of water. The tendril vanished and you chased after Bucky. Exhaustion battled with your adrenaline now that you were out of the water, and whatever was pulling Bucky was going faster than you could catch up with, but you pushed yourself harder, reaching for the hand the super soldier held outstretched.

A root caught your foot and sent you tumbling over yourself, lengthening the distance between you and Bucky. “(Y/N),” he called, trying his damnedest to slow himself down, hands scraping at the ground to find purchase on something, anything. You got up and rushed after him, diving for his hand. Your fingers brushed his metal ones for a split second, and then he was gone from you, vanished in the blink of an eyes.

“Bucky,” you called in anguish, arm still reaching for something that wasn’t there any longer. “Oh god,” you whispered to yourself. He was gone. Panic set in and you scrambled to get up, wincing as your ankle bent in a way you were pretty sure it wasn’t supposed to. Staggering towards the beach, you called out for your lost teammate, your voice growing more desperate by the second. No reply came to your screams, and you were left in silence.

You weren’t sure which emotion came first. It could’ve been the despair, causing you to collapse to your knees at the edge of the now clear sea. It could’ve been the anguish, which caused a scream to tear from your chest, a heartbreaking noise that you didn’t know you could make. Which came first didn’t matter though, because the most prevalent was the utter rage that coursed through your veins, so powerful you thought your body was about to spontaneously combust. You may not have liked Barnes very much, but damn it, at this point he was all you had. He was your companion, your life-line, your teammate. Your Bucky.

Briefly you wondered how Steve could’ve ever managed to get through the grief of losing him so many times. You had only just barely lost him and you thought your heart was about to explode. Captain America was even stronger than you thought.

You stayed on the beach for a while, staring out over the water. It lapped at your knees as the tide came in, helping your energy level lift but doing nothing for the depression that settled over you. You were truly alone on the island now. Darkness closed in around you as the sun set, and your brain worked enough to understand that darkness had the potential to equal another ambush, so somehow you lugged yourself back to the creek and laid in it, the sound of rushing water a soothing lullaby to your heavy soul. You were out before you knew it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t really have a concept of how to write conflict, but I’m working on it! If there is one thing I do know how to write, it’s anguish! So there you go :,)


	5. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You try to get yourself together, and your teammates try to find you.

The sun was merciless. You already knew that, of course, but you were sure this time was going to be the time that you dried out against the sand like a beached whale, the ever shining UV rays bleaching you until your bones were the only thing left, and then until they were so white they were blinding. The days without Bucky seemed never ending, and the sun continued her burning reign, mocking your pain and solitude. It hadn’t rained since he had vanished, and you were starting to weaken from lack of will and lack of food. It was considerably harder to take care of yourself when there was no longer a specific reason. The team had yet to collect you, and at this point, you had to wonder if they ever were going to.

You managed to haul your drying body to the tree line once the sky had started to darken, and from there you staggered to the creek, falling face first into it like the belly flop champ from your childhood summer camp. Minnows darted around you, one lingering to stare for a moment as you sunk to the bottom before swimming away, once again leaving you alone.

There were things you should be doing, i.e. trying to figure out what the fuck happened to your teammate, feeding yourself, etc., but logic was never your strong suit, definitely more of a feeling person. When you were in a funk, you were deep in it, your mind the equivalent of a World War II trench, seemingly endless, and probably useless in the long run.

At the very least you developed a routine. The sun would rise and you would emerge from the creek, ambling to the beach where you would lay out on the sand. At first you did your best to investigate and find Bucky’s whereabouts, but you damn near combed the whole island with nothing to show for it. The black wall hadn’t reared its head since that day, so you had nothing else to go off of. It was hopeless. At least if you were on the beach, someone passing over you could see your prone body. Or maybe you would end up on one of those shows where they investigate weird google map images, only it would be your body.

Once the sun started to set, you would go fall in the creek, the water helping your energy surge, and ultimately lull you to sleep, a forever moving fort around you, protecting you from the unidentifiable darkness that could be out there.

The rains came during the second week of Bucky’s absence, the downpour hitting your emaciated body as you laid on the sand, per your daily routine. Something about the electricity in the air helped snap you out of your funk, or perhaps it was the loud growling of your stomach finally hitting your once deaf ears. You crawled to the shelter Bucky had built and huddled within it, shaking violently, your bloodsugar fully depleted. How you hadn’t passed out yet was beyond you. You watched the rain come down. It was cleansing to witness.

A shuffle caught your attention and you looked to your right. A banana was laid just inside your shelter.

What?

You swiped at it, confirming that it was not a hallucination, and quickly gobbled it down, your chest heaving as you caught your breath after eating so fast. You leaned outside of the lean-to and looked from side to side, but the rain had gotten so heavy that your visibility was limited. There were no shadows, no footsteps, not even animal tracks around you. You couldn’t make sense of it.

Someone was behind you, you could feel it, but when you turned, no one was there. There still that tingle on the back of your neck though, like someone was staring at you. A shudder ran through you. “Bucky?” you whispered tentatively.

Your hand brushed across an indentation in the sand. You looked down. It was a hand print. 

* * *

 “So. How are things?”

Steve sighed at the question, running his hand through his hair as he looked at the screen that held Tony Stark’s concerned face. “Things are. Difficult,” he managed, looking over to where Natasha lounged in her seat, sharpening a knife. “Morale is low. We just can’t seem to find the fucking island.”

There was a collective gasp. “Steve! Language,” Tony scolded him.

Steve groaned. “Cut the shit, Tony. Give me the news.”

“Maybe I don’t want to, now that you’ve taken that tone with me,” Tony teased, smiling until he saw Steve had gone into bitch face mode. He cleared his throat. “Right, so, I used the tracking chip I put in their suits-“

Steve cut him off. “You put tracking chips in their suits?”

“There are tracking chips in all of your suits.”

“Except mine,” Natasha called from her seat. “I cut mine out weeks ago.”

“Yeah, I know,” Tony said with a tinge of annoyance in his voice. “But whatever. The point is, your hunch was right, they are on that island, but as to how you get them is beyond me.”

Steve rubbed his eyes and rested his elbows on the table, his head in his hand for just a moment of vulnerability before he was up again, determination set into his features. “Great. Thanks, Tony.”

“Good luck, Cap,” the mechanic replied before he ended the call.

Steve stood and went over to the cockpit where Sam had his eyes set on the sky. “Need to switch?” he asked.

Sam shook his head, his jaw set. “Nah. I’ll find it.”

“Sam…”

“No, Cap, I’ve got to do this,” he said resolutely.

Steve was about to retort that no, he didn’t have to, when Nat stood and joined them in the cockpit. She pointed out the windshield at a large cluster of storm clouds that loomed ahead of them. “Go into those.”

“What? That could tear up our ship.” Sam gaped at her.

She shrugged. “Go into them and then go below them,” she told him, all easy confidence.

Steve nodded. “We’ve got to try it.”

Sam sighed. “Fine then. If we crash, it’s not my fault.”

“We won’t,” said Steve confidently. 

* * *

 The rain had finally stopped, so you emerged from your shelter, determined that Bucky had been trying to send you a sign. You walked straight into the sea and caught yourself a few fish, knowing you’d never be able to find him on an empty stomach. You cleaned them, cooked them, and scarfed them down quickly, all in attempt to follow his clue as quickly as possible.

The first place you looked was the place where he had vanished from you. You scanned the sand around you and dug around for a bit, trying to find a shred of evidence that he had been there. You came up empty handed, the pressure of isolation starting to creep back into your head as you scrambled around for more ideas. You went back to the creek and noticed that the grass the wall of darkness had slid over was now dead, however the sheen of oil was long gone.

You decided to travel a bit. Maybe if you didn’t stay so centralized, if you ventured out of the circle you’d confined yourself to, you could gather more intel.

Preparation was necessary. You found the banana trees that Bucky had picked from and managed to climb high enough to gather some, panting slightly once you were done. How he had managed it was beyond you, and you would have been thoroughly impressed if you weren’t so sad whenever you thought about Bucky.

You brought the bananas back with you to the lean to and gathered several palm leaves, fashioning them into a basket. Sort of. You did your best. The basket had enough structural integrity to hold the bananas, and that was all you needed.

Leaving the basket in the shelter with the bananas inside, you made your way back to the beach, sitting at the edge of the water and letting it wash over you. The waves were calm, and you watched as little sandpipers danced out into them once they receded, snapping up their food quickly before they rushed to dry shore. What curious little birds.

You were staring at the birds for so long you almost missed the approaching ship in the sky, but you heard the engines soon enough. You looked up and stood, waving furiously at the aircraft. As it grew closer, you could tell it was an Avengers craft and you started waving harder, calling out to them until you were hoarse. The aircraft lowered itself onto the sand roughly a hundred yards from you, and you broke into a run.

The hatch lowered and Captain America himself came walking out, his arms open wide to receive you. You jumped onto him once you were close enough and clung to him, hugging him for mere seconds before you collapsed against him and burst into tears. Steve, to his credit, took the shift in stride, gently stroking your hair as you sobbed into his shoulder. “We’re here now,” he assured you, holding you tighter. Sam and Nat came down as well, all smiles now that you’d been found. There was a moment of silence before Steve gently pushed you away, hands on your shoulders so he could look at your face. “Where’s Bucky?” He looked so hopeful, it broke your heart all over again.

You took a shuddering breath and managed to stand up straight, wiping your eyes. “Maybe we should go inside. You might want to sit down.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know how to pace this haha whatever


	6. Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You explain.

Steve took the news better than you expected, although with how hard he was clenching his jaw, you were surprised it didn’t just snap off. You sat next to him, your hand in his as you attempted to comfort him. 

“So,” said Sam, breaking the ongoing silence, “He’s just… gone? Like poof?”

You nodded. “Just like our engine was. I think whatever had us stranded here is the thing that took him too.” 

“Logical assumption,” Natasha agreed. Her approval made your stomach flip a little and your heart start to race.

“Thanks,” you managed, shifting your focus back to Steve. “He’s still alive though. I know it. I-“ You hesitated. “I think he sent me a message.” 

Steve arched an eyebrow. “How so?” 

“Well… I was kind of, um, unintentionally starving myself, and then I looked over, and there was a banana just sitting there!”

Blank stares. Right, okay. “I saw a hand print too, and it was way too big to be mine. Bucky was trying to give me hope.” 

The stares were considerably less blank this time, but Steve still seemed wary. “I don’t know, (Y/N), are you sure?”

“Yeah, angelfish,” Sam piped up, “You did just say you were starving. Maybe you were hallucinating.” 

“I was not!” Your protests fell on unbelieving ears. “Listen, this is not the craziest thing we’ve dealt with. You guys have fought aliens! One of our teammates is a god for fuck’s sake. C’mon, suspend your disbelief for a bit.”

“Sounds like some shit from Stranger Things.” 

“As if I didn’t think of that.” You sighed and let go of Steve’s hand so you could rub your temples. “Anyways, now that you’re here, maybe you could help me find some more clues.” 

“Jinkies, maybe we should split up,” Sam joked.

“Sam.” Steve’s stern voice echoed in the helicarrier. “Now’s not the time. We’ve got to find Bucky.” He stood and offered you his hand, pulling you out of your seat. “Lead on, (Y/N). Let’s see what we can make of this.” 

* * *

It was dark. That was the first thing Bucky noticed once he opened his eyes. The second thing was the rainbow sheen that coated the sky, the whole thing curved like a dome. He sat up and rubbed his head, eyes skimming his surroundings. They were almost exact to the island he’d been on, only this time everything was darker and shiny. So shiny. Standing up, he almost slipped, the ground glassy and slick with a thin layer of sand over it. The silence was eerie and almost palpable, consuming his eardrums with a shrill ringing as he searched for something, anything to hear instead. 

Her call was near deafening, even if it was grainy and muffled. Her voice was filled with sorrow as she called out, more like screamed out, his name. Bucky scrambled towards the noise, trying simultaneously to keep a steady stride and follow her sobs. It broke his heart to hear her so sorrowful, and it hurt even deeper to know he was the cause. 

Once the cries ceased, he attempted to call back, his voice thick as he said her name as she had said his. The feeling of isolation was nothing new to him, but the fact that he could practically feel her, and yet she evaded him, was maddening. 

After walking for what felt like hours, he arrived at the very spot he had awoken, as if the miles he had trekked meant nothing. As if he hadn’t moved at all. 

Bucky continued to walk anyway, this time heading in the direction of their camp. Well, at least where their camp had been in the real world. As he walked, he felt as though he were cresting a hill, his calves burning as he went upwards, although the ground remained flat in front of him. When Bucky reached the top, or what felt like the top, his breathing was heavy as he surveyed the area around him. The path behind seemed just as flat as the path before him, but his body told him that had definitely been an incline. “This is getting too fucking weird,” he muttered to himself as he soldiered on. 

The downward incline was almost as difficult as the upward, his feet threatening to slip out from under him multiple times. The horizon still remained empty, with the exception of the ever elusive tree line. Except, what was that against the trees? He squinted and paused in his stride for a moment. 

A blot of darkness rested against the trees, much like the shelter he had built, and a shadowy figure drifted into it. He had spent way too much time sharing at the curves of that body to not recognize it as her almost instantly. He broke into a run, calling her name, even though he knew that was most likely useless. 

He practically slid into the shelter once he reached it, the inside considerably different from the outside. The sound of rain crashed around him, isolating him to the shelter. The colors were closer to what he knew, and even the sand felt real, finer, softer. His hand sunk into it slightly when he put his weight on it, nearly knocking him into the other figure inside. The sight of her took his breath away. She was so much thinner than their first day on the island, her hair nearly down to her chest, but maybe he was seeing things. She was so blurry, only coming into focus if he concentrated hard enough. His robotic arm raised on its own accord, reaching to caress her cheek, but much to his disappointment, it went right through her. For a moment he thought she looked at him, really looked at him, but then she turned again. 

He wished he could let her know he was okay, give her a sign, or something. At least make her something to eat. She looked emaciated, the sight causing his heart to constrict in his chest. He had done this to her. Bucky wanted desperately to make it right. 

For a few short moments, everything cleared and his wish came true, a banana appearing in his hand. When he set it down next to her, her eyes were drawn to it, and her face showed the same amount of awe that he felt. 

His vision blurred again, he heard her faint whisper of his name, and then she was gone, leaving him alone in the center of his domed beach. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it’s a short short chapter, but I’ve been writing and reading a lot lately, so I’m trying to get back into the swing of things! Also have to figure out what I’m doing with this plot haha


	7. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All aboard explorers

The black wall approached you, huge and endless, blocking all view of the ocean. You clenched your jaw and shifted your stance, building your power reserves from the creek behind you. “Give him back!” you screamed at the mass. It remained silent and continued its approach. With an enraged yell, you drew up as much water as you could and threw it at the mass.

It did nothing.

Much to your despair, the black mass continued to move steadily towards you. A little faster, even. Dread filled you. It was going to consume you. You dropped to your knees. There was no hope. You shut your eyes and grit your teeth so hard your molars felt like they were going to split open. Tears created tracks down your cheeks. “See you soon, Buck,” you whispered as black tendrils curled around your thighs. Then, you were gone. Nothingness.

That was, until strong hands were shaking you awake. “(Y/N)! C’mon angel fish, get up,” Sam Wilson’s impatient voice commanded you.

You groaned and cracked open your eyes. “Wha-?” you managed, sitting up.

“You were having a nightmare, I guess,” he supplied. Sam’s eyes were worried, but he still wore that signature grin of his. “You were crying. I thought it would be better to wake you than have to listen to your sniffling for another hour.”

You wiped your cheeks and, low and behold, they were wet. You groaned and sat up all the way. “Sorry. Thanks, Sam.” Sam gave your thigh a reassuring pat and left you alone in your bunk. You slid out of the tiny bed you were allotted on the quinjet and stretched, heading towards the bathroom. After a quick shower, you dressed in the spare suit Natasha had thought to bring for you and joined the rest of the team at the planning table.

“I’ve just talked to Tony,” Steve informed you as way of greeting.

“Great, what did he say?” You picked a banana from the basket you had brought on board and bit into it as you took a seat.

“Bucky’s still on the island. Or at least, that’s what the tracker in his suit says,” said Steve.

“And the one in his arm,” Natasha supplied.

You balked at them. “He has two trackers on him? That seems unfair.”  

Steve shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t like it anymore than you do, (Y/N), but those were the conditions for him to join the team.”

“I’ve never known you to be one for compromising freedom,” you said. You felt bad as soon as the words left your mouth, especially when you watched the way Steve seemed to sag under the statement. You weren’t sure where this spite was coming from.

“(Y/N)—“ Steve started, exhaustion evident in his voice.

“No, it’s okay. I’m sorry, Steve, I didn’t mean that,” you quickly amended, touching his shoulder gingerly. “Do we have coordinates?”

Sam pulled up a rough map of the island and pointed to a dot. “There he is. Smack dab in the middle. Kinda weird, if you ask me.”

“Can’t disagree with you,” Steve said, scratching at the facial hair on his jaw.

“This whole thing is weird,” you huffed.

Steve eyed you warily. “Regardless, we’ll start there. Let’s get ready.”

Within minutes, the team was suited up and ready to go, with the exception of Sam, who decided to stay at the ship just in case. Steve had memorized the map and trekked confidently through the dense forest. A sense of unease settled over you the deeper you went. The canopy was thicker towards the center, nearly blocking out the sun. Everything was closing in on you. Claustrophobia clawed at your stomach, tightening your airway.

Something grabbed your arm, making you rocket towards the sky with a yelp. “Chill out, Peter Rabbit, it’s just me,” Natasha soothed, arching a brow. “You look nervous.”

“Yeah,” you said, brushing her off with a nervous laugh. “Just a bit of paranoia I guess.” You rubbed your shoulder and tried to ease out of your defensive curl. “Not much water nearby.”

“The map said there should be a river that cuts through the middle,” Steve informed you, suddenly at your side. You jumped again. Jesus, was everyone out to scare you? “I’ll go scout ahead to be sure.”

“I don’t think we should split up,” you tittered nervously, eyes darting around the foliage that surrounded you and your team.

Steve’s eyebrows furrowed. “It’s just a forest, (Y/N). I’ll be fine.”

“Famous last words,” you muttered as he took the lead. Soon, the foliage had thickened so much you could hardly see the shining colors of his shield.

When you looked to your left to talk to Natasha, you saw that the assassin was gone as well, leaving you isolated. “So much for teamwork!” you shouted at nothing. The canopy swallowed your voice quickly. With a sigh, you rolled your shoulders and soldiered forward. May as well see if you could catch up to Steve.

You stopped at something akin to a clearing. The ground was nearly bare, and sure enough, there was a water source, too small to be a river, flowing lazily between the trees. The canopy continued on the other side of the creek, dark and foreboding. Silence filled your ears with a sharp ringing. Even the water seemed quiet. ‘No forest should be this silent,’ you thought to yourself.

As you turned, you realized why it was so.

Black matter leaked from between the wall of trees, forming a wall of its own. “No no no,” you muttered, backing up the water. You shook with fear. “This can’t be happening.”

It was.

Taking a deep breath to calm yourself, you watched the wall get closer, stopping right at the edge of the water. You willed a fountain of water to spray the wall. The black matter receded. You strengthened the blast.

The wall dissipated some. You could see a figure inside as you had the first time, only this one looked different. Familiar. A glint of silver caught your eye through smoky substance.

You threw even more water at the wall, almost destroying it completely, with the exception of the figure in the middle. As the black matter cleared away, you saw him. His hair was stringy and obscured his face, but his limp body was unmistakable. His arms dangled by his sides, one human, one metal.

“Bucky,” you breathed.

His head tilted slightly. His eyes opened. The icy blue you expected was replaced by a glossy purple, so dark it was near black, that took up his sclera as well as the pupil.

That wasn’t your Bucky anymore.

You screamed.

**Author's Note:**

> let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns!


End file.
